Plant protector



July 12, 1927' T, H. WILSON PLANT PROTECTOR Filed Feb. 11, 1926 a blank is illustrated as having parallel top Patented July 12, 1 927.

PLANT rno'rnc'ron.

Application and February ii; {192%. 7 Serial no. 87574;

This invention relates to'iniprorements in plant protectors. An object 'of this invention isto' provide a protector for plants whichis'so constructed as to effectively prevent the plantfrom frost andwhich will retain the heat t'o' a certain extent, enabling young" plants to be" set out during cold weather and promoting the growthof the plant, causing" it to mature sooner. I Another object of this invention is to provide a plant protector which may be easily, quickly and cheaply constructed, and whlch is capable of being knocked down to facilitate shipping and storing.

Withthe foregoing and other objects in 7 view. which will be made manifest in the following dtailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, refer-f -.20ence is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein f Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved plant protectorfrom the open side, shown in set-up position,

Fig 2is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the blank from which the protector is formed,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4=4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a manner in which the plant protector is used.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved plant protector is formed of a section of bendable sheet material, such as cardboard. This cardboard is preferably made insectproof and water-proof by coating it with a melted parafine orsimilar water-proofing substance. The reference character 10. indicates what may be considered as the center or apex forming portion of the blank. The

and bottom edges 11 and 12 respectively, the bottom edge being rounded up slightly adjacent its ends, as at 13. The side edges 14 are upwardly convergent and are slightly arcuate. The blank is preferably embossed to form areinforcing rib 15 which extends around the bottom and side edges, and additional reinforcing ribs 16'are also formed upon the blank which extend approximately in a rasolution of copper aluminum formate or equivalent insecticide and by dipping it into dialfldirection' from the apex 10. h'orizoiital'reinforcingrib 17 is .also'forniedb'y en'ilios'singthe blank, this horizontal rib con-' necting therib 15 and crossing the ribsiG.

Immediately above the horizontal rib 17 there are positioned a plurality of ventilat-"* ing pertures-i8, and adjacent the top edge 11- thereare formed apertures 19 1 adapted to receive fastener parts" 20. These fastener 05 p'artsniay'be'in'the form of small metallic riifet'sor pap'e'rfasteners, an'd'it i's'desir'able that these" fasteners be readily removable,-'so that the blank can be knocked down. for stbringor'shipping and can'b'e easily set up Adjacent the lower earners of-the blank there are" also formed" apertures'al' fora purpose" to'be hereinafter more fully described. V g I g The plant protector/is formed by bending the blank shown inFig'i 3'.into the position as shown inFigs'. 1 and 2,"a'n'd the fasteners 20 re insertedthrough'the apertures I 19' of theoverlappingedges ll 'a't the top of the blank. In this manner the blank is caused to form a conical structure having-an open side, which open side extends from a point below the apex or top of' the cone to the bottom. The reinforcing ribs'15, 16 and 17 serve to'stiffen the cardboard blank, but at 8.5 the same time permitting its bending without breaking the fibers of thecardboard In use the plant protector is placed I on the ground over the'plant P in such a manner thatthe apexis almost directly above the plant. It is so arranged that the open side or the opening through the conical structure is exposed toward the south, thus permitting sunshine to strike the plant through the opening. [At the same time the. backof the protector effectively protects the plant from cold north winds The overlapping edges 11 forma' closed conical structure adjacent the, apex of the plant protector and cause a dead air space to be formed to a greater or less degree adjacent the top of the protector. serves as a' heat retaining space and tends to keep the interior of the protector warm.

In actual practice it will be found that the temperature within the protector is from I 4: to 8 F. higher than the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere. The small-apertures l8 enable a very slight draft or 'circulationof air through the protector so that cold air will not be entrapped therein. In

positioning the protector over the plant, its Y i i This air space V T lower edges are preferably thrust into the ground, as indicated in Fig. 5; or, if de ertures 21 and into the ground so as to hold the protector in place. Because of the arrangement of the side edges 14, it will be noted that the plant is exposed to the morning sun, the afternoon sun and also the noon- I day sun.

From the above described construction it will be noted that the blank is water-proof and will not be damaged by rain or mildew, and that insects will not attempt to eat the blank because of the coating of insecticide. The coating of insecticide also tends to keep the insects away from the plant. The protector is primarily designed to be used in connection with young plants, I and when danger of frost is past, it, is intended that it be removed. In such instances the fasteners 20 can be pulled out and'the complete blank caused to assume its knocked down position, as shown in Fig. 3, permitting a large number of the protectors to be stacked and stored in a smallamount of space.

It will'be understood that various changes in the detail of construction may be made of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 7 V I claim:

I. A plant protector comprising a blank of bendable sheet material bent .to form a cone, the meeting edges of the blank being air space as and for the purpose described,

said blank having embossed portions providing reinforcing ribs, some of which eX- tend downwardly from the apex and others extending horizontally about the cone. 7

2. A plant protector comprising a blank of bendable sheet material bent to form a cone, the meeting edges of the blank being J cut away providing an opening in the cone extending from its bottom to a point some distance below the apex of the cone, and means for securing the meeting edges of the blank together from thementioned point to the apex so as to provide a heat retain- 9 ing air space, there being apertures formed in the lower corners of the blank as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification.

' THOMAS H. WILSON. 

